Asian observers arrive in Colombo to monitor presidential poll

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 January 2010, 11:33 GMT]
Forty members of the Asian Association of Election Authorities (AAEA) from thirteen countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea arrived in Colombo Friday to monitor presidential poll that is scheduled to be held on January 26.

The Asian monitors would be divided into groups and would be deployed in all electoral districts.

Dr. Wel-Ta Pan, the Elections Commissioner of Taiwan will be acting as the head of the mission.

AAEA observers’ team also includes Chief Electoral officer of Afghanistan Dr. Daoub Ali Najafi. They are to report on incidents reported during the next few days and submit a report to the Elections Commissioner on whether the Presidential Elections was free and fair one.